What is that in the distance rounding the Esses? It's a hot summer day and the racing is even hotter. This viewer catches the faint reflection of the numbers '43'. A blue streak whizzes by and the throaty V8 roars. Bias-ply tires squeal under the heavy load of Richard Petty's 1970 Superbird.
The small crowd in attendance for the practice session of Nascar's 3rd race of the 1970 season claps enthusiastically. This is their hero, the King.
Petty is used to manuevering big block American muscle cars through tight corners, and he excels over his competition. Others complain about lack of disc brakes and independent suspensions that are being used on some 'nicer' cars. Petty smiles and eases onto the straightaway with the best qualifying time. The race is on.
Early on Petty pulls out to a safe lead. Others roll over their factory sponsored Superbirds trying to imitate Petty's line. The Fords and Chevy's just can't keep up. Only David Pearson in his 429 cubic inch Torino can even see Petty.
Lap 26 of 100 and the cars roll in to the pits. Unfortunately, Petty has a slow pit stop because the gas nozzle breaks off, flammable fuel spraying everywhere. His team scrambles for another gas tank as Pearson slips by into the lead.
Petty chips away at Pearson's lead each lap, .3 here, .1 there, but it isn't enough and after lap 75, the 3rd and final pit stop, he is still behind. Pearson drives with nerves of steel even though Petty is now visible in his rear view mirror.
Suddenly, a caution. The only other Bird in the top 10 has fallen out of the race due to transmission trouble. It's up to Petty now to herald the superiority of the Superbird.
Lap 97 begins. The fans, eager with anticipation, hope, and fear all combined into a frenzied state, stand up from their seats. Petty is now within striking distance. Pearson can hear the rumbling of Petty's engine as he locks on to him, like a jet fighter targeting on it's prey.
Lap 99. The official is getting ready to pull out the coveted checkered flag as he places the white flag on it's spot. They fight and fight and position themselves as best they can. The crowd cheers at the two masters at work, fighting for the only thing that matters. Intense excitement when Pearson blocks Petty at the hairpin, he is only a carlength away.
They are neck and neck for turn 1 of the last lap. Again, Pearson blocks and Petty has to brake hard to avoid rubbing the quarter panel of the Torino. The crowd boos at Pearson's racing tactics. Petty isn't shaken and is determined to pass. He spots lapped traffic up ahead at the most critical set of corners, the esses. Pearson, by sheer luck, has trouble passing Cale Yarborough whose car was damaged in an earlier accident. Petty speeds on by through the hairpin to take the race win. The crowd is ecstatic and pours onto the track and into the winners circle to congratulate their winner.
But there is no record of this historic event. As far as the general public knows, this race was never held at sunny Sonoma, CA. NASCAR race logs do not exist for this forgotten race. But there are those who remember. Who knows what Petty meant when he wrote in his diary, "bird-bird-bird, bird is the word!"
You know, just for kicks.
